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On opening night (Halloween) Kori, Joal and I went to see the newest Kevin Smith creation, “Zach and Miri Make a Porno.” Kevin Smith is the famed writer/director of Clerks. This movie contains his normal amount of language with some nudity (hence the porno name) so it earns its “R” rating. For fans, this movie does NOT take place in the “View Askewniverse.” This movie stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks as Zach and Miri.

Zach and Miri are friends who have lived together for years in an apartment in Pennsylvania. Miri works at the mall and Zach works in a coffee shop. Both were set to go to their ten year high school anniversary when there unpaid water bill causes there water to be shut off. Later their power is shut off and they don’t have money for rent. While brainstorming in a bar Zach comes up with the idea to make a porno together in order to raise enough money to pay their bills.

Zach convinces his coworker Delaney (Craig Robinson) to front them money so they can build sets, buy costumes and a camera for their porn, to be named “Star Whores.” They hire Deacon (Jeff Anderson) to film it and cast Lester (Jason Mewes), Bubbles (Traci Lords), Stacey (Katie Morgan) and Barry (Ricky Mabe). As you may, or may not know, Traci and Katie are both ex-porn stars now in the mainstream movie business. As you might expect there is nudity from Katie’s character, but not Traci’s. There is also male nudity, so be warned.

This whole movie revolves around the adventure of making a porno while seeing the two stars finally learn that they love each other, but neither will admit it. Their first shot at making the porno, Star Whores, ends badly when the warehouse they had rented is demolished and all of their costumes and equipment is destroyed. They turn to the coffee shop Zach and Delaney work at and film after hours. Because they no longer have costumes they decide to use the natural setting of the coffee shop as the theme.

Eventually things break down and Zach moves out and they fail to finish the porno. I won’t give away the ending, but it is happy (of course). The movie really is a love story. I know, it is hard to believe that a movie about making a porno could be a love story, but it really is.

The funniest scene of the movie involves a fully naked Barry (yes, full frontal) explaining to Zach what a Dutch Rudder is. I had never heard of a Dutch Rudder and it almost made me pee my pants. Note, the following link is NSFW (Not Safe For Work) and contains sexual information. But if you want to know, click Dutch Rudder.

Overall this movie has many fall out of your seat moments. It has an appropriate amount of nudity and language, but in my opinion, not too much. Some more conservative or “prudish” members of my reading audience will probably find it to be too much, so this movie is hard to judge. On one side I would totally give it 5 out 5, but I know that it doesn’t appeal to everyone.

I give it 4 out of 5 because it was raunchy, sexy, funny, loving and even tugged at the heart strings a bit. Go see this movie!